St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-01-22
JAPANESE PROGRESS.

JAPANESE PROGRESS.
An Oriental Nation which 3. Adop.,ne oc-
ctdental Dress and Manners.
Among the late arrivals at San Fran
cisco from Japan were w. C. De Lsno
Eastlake and his mother. In an inter
view with reporter, MIR. Eastlake Dor
trayed in pleasing colors the country
and its people.
The people are fast advancinguin the
civilization of their political, moral and
intellectual lives. In the customs Of
dress there has been marked change
during the last decade, until now the
officials and the better classes assn,..
the English costume. Among the former
It Is compulsory. and upon the street
the oil Japanese garb is seldom seen
except on the poorer classes. Among
the ladies. however, the loose gowns Of
the olden days are still popular, bit
even these are gradually becoming oD-
sciete and at the fashionable balls the
European dress is generally assumed.
while the programmes of the Japanese
orchcstras generally include the best of
English music.
The odd yctIicturesque style of hair
dressing which has so long prevailed
IN the country has been superseded by
that nf the American woman. and tho
fair foreheads of the royal ladies are
already hidden by the bang so common
in our own country. The fashions,
however. are not set by the Empress.
The style adopted by the Ministers
wives is considered quite the proper
thing. and following their example. all
ladies OF culture have stopped backing
their teeth and shaving their eyebrows
The intellectual progress Of the peo-
pie OF Japan has been almost unparal-
leled. Not only has the educational
system been established all over the
empire. but the capital city boasts of a
university that can compare favorably
with the beet colleges of the CONT
nent. German professors. prominent
for scientific works and research,
have filled the chairs in the scientific
and medical departments ct the fnf-
perial Univcrs't while in literature.
both ancient and modern. English and
Americans of advanced thought have
been chosen instructors. Recently the
staff of foreign professors has been d.
unfinished and the vacancies filled by
Japanese literati who have returned
from study abroad.
The works Of Huxley, Spencer. Oar
win and others have been translated
into japanese. and are familiar hand
books to students in Japan. The pro-
INDICATORS of Christianity find that they
have a proud scepticism to contend
with. The Japanese talk Of the '.cvo-
luton OF species" and the ncbular
hypothesis as glibly as our learned
men. Buddhism is still the predOmin-
ating fa;i". but Christianity is rapidly
establishing itself among the more in
tellcctual classes. although many of the
high officials express extreme bitter
ness TO the doctrine and its introduce
ton. This bitterness is SO great that
to profess Christianity means the loss
of an official position. The people are
not conservative, however. and it is
only matter of time when the Chris
tan faith will be accepted throughout
the country. In al! the large cities pub
lie schools are maintained. and it is com
pulsory that after attaining = certain
age children shall be sent to school. In
Toxic there are two large law schools.
one Of which is conducted in the FIR nch
and the other i'm the English language.
Added to these is an engineering col
lego. with over 10000 volumes. and its
extensive laboratories. which have been
recently merged with the Imperial Col
lcge.
Political affairs are not behind in the
onward march of civilization. and the
chief excitement Of the country now is
the preparation for the National As
scmbly promised for 1890. The ground
is already purchased and the Assembly
buildings commenced. although there
is naturally some misrepresentation on
the part Of suspicious minds that the
Government may not carry out its
promises to the people. As it now
stands, the governments in the hands
of the Emperor. assisted by the Senate
and House of Lords. which in the Jap
ancse is called ..Gen ro-in." The Ma
tional Assembly will be composed of
elected by the people
from the various districts into which
the country is divided. thus making the
empire a partial republic. Laws re-
garding press criticism and public
speech are very stringent. and in Meth.
er is criticism of the Government al
lowed. Regarding Japan's relations
with America I am able to speak at
length. My visit to this country is in
the interest of an extension OF the
traffic. The United States
and its people are regarded with great
respect by the Japanese. and in their
ewes. as the Fyi Shin'po. one tof the
leading journals. expresses it. America
stands out in the world like q blossom
ing1plum branch among thicket OF
brambles, diffusing rich fragrance
and compelling the admiration Of all
Tor her great name and vigorous policy:
San francisco Chronicle.